By David Monti, @d9monti(c) 2024, all rights reserved, used with permission.
NEW YORK (31-Oct) — After finishing a close second to compatriot Hellen Obiri at last April’s Boston Marathon, Sharon Lokedi hoped she had done enough to gain selection for the Paris Olympic Marathon. But when Athletics Kenya announced their team later that month, Lokedi was passed over. Former world record holder Brigid Kosgei had been given the third spot, joining Obiri and reigning Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir. The news hit Lokedi hard.
Little did she know that Kosgei would withdraw from the team in early July due to an injury, and Lokedi would be called up as a reserve. The 30-year-old former NCAA star at the University of Kansas had about six weeks to prepare for the most important marathon of her life.
“At the end of the day, I just kept training and hoping,” said Lokedi, who represents Under Armour. She continued: “Finally, like they said, this happened when Brigid dropped, and I got in at the last minute. I was like, what am I supposed to do? It was very short. I just had to switch it; it’s time to get it going. It was like a month and two weeks of trying to get everything together.”
Working with her coach, Stephen Haas, Lokedi did indeed get it together. Running in hot and sunny conditions and on one of the toughest-ever Olympic Marathon courses, Lokedi got into the critical break in the race just past 28 km and was one of the last five women in medal contention in the 39th kilometer. But Obiri, Dutchwoman Sifan Hassan, and Ethiopian Tigst Assefa were too strong, and Lokedi was dropped. She finished fourth, an excellent performance but just outside of the medals. Lokedi appreciated her accomplishment but was emotionally and physically spent.
“It took a couple of weeks to get back at it,” Lokedi admitted. “If anything, it was emotionally draining. It was just excitement; I was just very excited about everything. I went to Kenya, then I came back here. A little bit was going on for three weeks of that. I was like, I’ve got to get back to training.”
Back at home in Flagstaff, Lokedi began her build-up for Sunday’s TCS New York City Marathon, a race she won in her debut at the 42.195-kilometer distance in 2022. Under Coach Haas –who is also her agent– she stuck to the workout program that got her into such great shape before Boston.
